Evangelism in the Era of Social Media and Streaming Technology
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Matthew 16:15 says "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'" As the world's population grows to almost 7 billion people, this command becomes ever more difficult to fulfill, yet the responsibility does not go away. If Christians are to be effective evangelists, we must begin to use all the gifts at our disposal which means embracing the potential of technology to reach the masses.

Social media has redefined how people engage with one another, as well as, how we attain our awareness of the world. Tweets, Facebook news feeds, and Instagram images are just some of the tools people are using to stay engaged with society. To meet people where they are, we have to meet them in their mobile devices. Otherwise, we will continue to preach to 99% saved every Sunday.

According to Pew Research Center, 91% of Americans have mobile phones and 49% of Americans use their mobile phones for directions, recommendations, or other location based information. That statistic includes where to worship. The Avenue F Church of Christ in Plano, Texas recently had a guest visiting the United States from Finland. They found that congregation on Google. A member of that congregation watches the live stream of the Sunday morning services every week.

Another benefit of including technology in evangelism efforts is the ability to break down common barriers when reaching the lost. There are many reasons people will refuse to visit a church. Fear of the unknown, unwillingness to get up early on a weekend, and other priorities are just a few. By sharing a link to a live or recorded stream with friends, family, and coworkers, the modern day evangelist can break through those barriers allowing the person they are trying to reach to hear the message in a way that removes the anxieties and inconveniences associated with visiting a new church.

The Church of Christ Broadcast Network - COCBN provides the technology to reach people where they are. COCBN equips churches with the technology to stream services live and on-demand. Streams can even be viewed directly through Facebook. In the era of social media, the churches of Christ have a tremendous opportunity to reach the masses by embracing this technology. Small congregations can spread the message as easily as large ones.

As Christians begin to think of new ways to reach the lost, considering social media and streaming technology is a small step that will yield great results. COCBN leads the church technology revolution by helping individual congregations reach their technology goals.